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GARAGE HEATER....Which Do You Like..Looking for Advice

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by hellerlj, Jan 25, 2012.

  1. hellerlj
    Joined: Oct 12, 2005
    Posts: 1,176

    hellerlj
    Member
    from Minnesota

    I have a double garage with NO heat,
    live in Minnesota...so we got cold....
    Want to buy a decent heater, have used
    a propane one before. Just looking for
    input on electric heaters. Are there any
    good ones out there that won't put me
    in the poor house....

    Any and All Advice will be much appreciated
     
  2. Butch Clay
    Joined: Sep 27, 2011
    Posts: 221

    Butch Clay
    Member

    I started with 2 milk-house heaters and because it was well insulated it worked very well. Insulation is key.

    Butch
     
  3. hellerlj
    Joined: Oct 12, 2005
    Posts: 1,176

    hellerlj
    Member
    from Minnesota

    Thanks Butch...appreciate your input
     
  4. pinkynoegg
    Joined: Dec 11, 2011
    Posts: 1,136

    pinkynoegg
    Member

    I recently ran into the same problem. I went with a kerosene heater from Northern tool. Cool thing is that it runs off of diesel and jet A as well. set me back around 200 but after about 15 minutes of running, my whole shop is toasty
     

  5. olscrounger
    Joined: Feb 23, 2008
    Posts: 4,770

    olscrounger
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Have a 3 car garage and wife sprung for a combo heat and air unit that works really well but it was pricey--I was hesitant but it is well worth it,expecially when it's 110 out or around freezing-has really been a big plus for me allowing me to work in the garage when I would not have in the past.
     
  6. tommy
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 14,757

    tommy
    Member Emeritus

    I sold a car and sprang for a propane forced hot air furnace mounted in the attic when I had the cash. I had already insulated and dry walled the 24X36 garage. It's so nice to go out there and just flip the switch. I added a ceiling fan to keep the air stirred up and not just hang at the ceiling. I could have done it myself but I got a contractor to do it.

    I've tried the old fire barrel and the salamander trick and this is the cats meow. Once it's in and done it's all gravy.
     
  7. young'n'poor
    Joined: Jan 26, 2006
    Posts: 1,281

    young'n'poor
    Member
    from Anoka. MN

    I have an old modine in my 2 car garage that until recently worked fairly well. Now that mine is down I'm going to upgrade to a mr.heater natural gas unit. If you don't run them 24/7 the natural gas heaters are pretty nice to have. Insulation is key to any heater working well, and I imagine with an insulated garage and modern insulated doors an electric unit could work alright
     
  8. fortypickup
    Joined: Aug 2, 2007
    Posts: 1,780

    fortypickup
    Member
    from Nebraska

    I have a 220 electric heater that I bought about 6 years ago from Northern tool. Keeps my 1 1/2 car garage nice and toasty! (The garage is not insulated) I got it for $120.00 + shipping.
     
  9. Had a propane fired hanging heater that I had recycled from a previous garage; but
    wrestling with 100 lb bottles got old. Replaced it with a new low profile natural gas hanging garage furnace from Home Depot, now keep it at 55 degrees all the time. Able to work at anytime and it doesn't add much to the gas bill, especially this year. A "take-out" house furnace is cheap and works good; but even hung from the ceiling it takes floor space.
     
  10. 1941ihkb5
    Joined: Feb 19, 2009
    Posts: 338

    1941ihkb5
    Member

    Maybe a waste oil furnace? Did the Mr.Heater thing, Ya gotta be carefull with propane. My throat was toast after spending a good portion of the day inside a double bay with one! Had one hell of a headache too! Wood stove for me, But you cant shut down the flame to paint.
     
  11. xxzzy999
    Joined: Apr 8, 2011
    Posts: 143

    xxzzy999
    Member

    I recently bought and installed Northern Tool's ProCom MD300TGA 30,000 BTU garage heater.

    It can be used with NG or propane. I just tapped into the NG gas line going to the water heater with about $20 worth of parts from Home Depot. I also bought the blower accessory for $36.

    This ProCom heater is on sale for $170 and has great reviews. I'm very pleased with the unit. It warms the garage within 5 to 10 minutes depending how cold it is. This heater is "ventless", meaning that it burns the fuel effeciently enough as to not create any carbon deoxide, therefore no outside ventlation is needed... very simple installation.

    I was initially interested in a kerosene heater, but with the price of kerosene at $10/gal (Home Depot)... I said no way! I'm sure you could buy it in bulk cheaper.

    Regards,
    X
     
  12. Michigan boy here, a heated garage is a must. My neighbor and I both used Ford Air furnaces.

    I used to have a couple radiant units (Re-Verber-Ray) which were OK if left on all the time, I use my forced air furnace as needed, take about 20 minutes to heat up the place. I have a large 2 car (or small 3 car) garage I can fit 2 cars in with all the doors open and still have about 15 feet to the back wall. It's a detached concrete block garage built in the 1950's with no insulation. I keep saying I am going to insulate it but something else always comes up.

    My furnace came to me used and was from a manufactured home. I don't have any ductwork, just a plenum on top of the furnace to direct the heat outwards.

    As far as electric, I have tried a few of the wall mount ones and while they will keep the chill off of a certain spot it's hard to get everything warm in a decent sized garage. If you had an attached garage on the smaller size you may be able to get away with a wall mounted electric.
     
  13. oldpaint
    Joined: Jul 25, 2009
    Posts: 357

    oldpaint
    Member

    I have a 50,000 btu natural gas hanging unit heater in my 24X28 shop. It works great and will heat the shop in 15 minutes. I turn it off so it won't kick in when I'm not there. The only minus is that it has a pilot light that is on all the time.

    When I put a hanging heater in my 24x36 garage I went with electronic ignition It's a 45,000 LP. More effecient, but takes longer to heat up th garage.
     
  14. northerndave
    Joined: Mar 18, 2008
    Posts: 354

    northerndave
    Member
    from Badger MN


    I've run a cleanburn brand waste oil unit for close to 10 years now. My shop is 30X60, 12 ft sidewalls, it's 62 degrees in there right now, 70 if I want it to be, 50, what ever.

    I advise that you do not invest in one of these until you have secured a source for used oil. Set something up with a service station, a farmer, a trucking company etc.

    <O:p</O:pLine up the oil first and be confident that you'll be able to rely on a source from a bulk supplier. Dealing with quart and gallon jugs from friends and neighbors sucks balls.

    <O:p</O:pThe only thing worse that that is collecting a drum from a guy that has been filling the drum for the past 7 years...

    <O:p</O:pThat sucks, because it's going to have water in it, anti freeze, waste paint, dead mice... you name it I've seen it.

    <O:p</O:pline up something with a trucking company, a large farming operation or some kind of business that deals with large oil changes on equipment regularly.

    Then you will get good oil with no water or other mystery junk in it.

    <O:p</O:pThe waste oil really is harder to come by these days than it was 7-8 years ago.

    <O:p</O:pYears ago waste oil recyclers were charging service stations to dispose of waste oil from oil changes, then they turned around and sold the waste oil to go into pavement for road projects.
    <O:p</O:pSomething changed over the years and they don’t double dip any more, now the waste oil pirates are actually paying a couple pennies for waste oil they collect from service stations.

    <O:p</O:pSo, the service stations are less likely to just give it away these days.<O:p</O:p
     
  15. hellerlj
    Joined: Oct 12, 2005
    Posts: 1,176

    hellerlj
    Member
    from Minnesota

    everyone....thanks for all the great info.....

    i have a lot to go one for sure....

    appreciate everyones time...
     
  16. aerocolor
    Joined: Oct 7, 2009
    Posts: 1,209

    aerocolor
    Member
    from dayton

    I use a Resnor brand forced air heater in the work garage. 75,000 btu in a 30x40 w/ 12ft ceilings. It`s quiet and very efficient and can be hung 1" off the ceiling.

    Tried the radiant but too hot to work under plus don`t like open flame.


    Have a smaller (45,000btu) heater in the other 30x40x10ft ceilings storage garage to keep it around 50 degrees. It tucks up nice out of the way(pictured). Bought it at Home Depot for around $275.
     

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  17. hellerlj
    Joined: Oct 12, 2005
    Posts: 1,176

    hellerlj
    Member
    from Minnesota

    I had seen those heaters at Home Depot and have always wondered
    how well they work....now I know....you'd have a lot more room to
    store stuff, if you got all those old junk cars out of there....hahahahahah

    Thanks for the great info...
     
    26hotrod likes this.
  18. 42hotrod
    Joined: Nov 3, 2005
    Posts: 811

    42hotrod
    Member
    from S.E. Idaho

    If you have 220 available in the garage, I would recommend one of these guys, i use one in a large 2 car garage and it stays pretty toasty unless its like 20 below zero out, than it gets cold back by the door.

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-5600-w-...319?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item256b71f0f7


    I know a friend that damn near kicked the bucket from one of the salamander type heaters, he was working for hours doing a tranny job with it on and his wife found him out cold under the car. An ambulance ride and several days in the hospital later the guy had a pretty good knowledge of CO poisoning.

    Remember, if its not vented outside and it burns fuel, take it from a firefighter your breathing that shit and it will harm/kill you.


    Scot
     
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  19. hellerlj
    Joined: Oct 12, 2005
    Posts: 1,176

    hellerlj
    Member
    from Minnesota

    That one looks like it might work for me.....thanks very much
    for your input and the lead on the unit...

    Les in Minnesota
     
  20. hdman6465
    Joined: Jul 5, 2009
    Posts: 662

    hdman6465
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I have a radiant fuel oil heater. Purchased in Canada. This is the tube type. Have used it for 5-6 yrs. You can work in a t-shirt in 15 min. in the dead of winter. My garage is a 30x50 w/12 ft. walls and very little insulation. This unit uses 6in. pipe and runs the length of the garage very cheap to operate. Have used about 100 gal. a year, using it almost every day. It was explained to me that every gal. of propane has 96k BTU and fuel oil has !40k BTU for the same amount. They have used them in Canada for years, but don't see much about it in the USA
     
  21. I have a 21 x 24 that has been sheet rocked and insulated. A buddy at work gave me a direct vent wall furnace that burns natural gas and that thing is the best. The combustion system vents to the outside and it puts out 35,000 btu's, more than enough to heat it and keep it 70 all through the Chicago winters. You can paint or mess with solvents with out the risk of the pilot light blowing you up. These furnaces usually run about 6 bills new but they regularly show up on craigs list etc for cheap or free. Usually from people remoeling their basements or cabins. I got another friend at work trying to give me another one and i will probably take it for just in case. They are the cats ass! Mitch.:)
     
  22. 41 C28
    Joined: Dec 17, 2005
    Posts: 1,772

    41 C28
    Member

    Last winter I installed a 75,000 BTU "Mr Heater" forced air vented gas heater in my garage. Got it at Lowes. Something I should have done years ago.
     
  23. 41 C28
    Joined: Dec 17, 2005
    Posts: 1,772

    41 C28
    Member

    Last winter I installed a 75,000 BTU "Mr Heater" forced air vented gas heater in my garage. Got it at Lowes. Something I should have done years ago.
     
  24. 31ford429
    Joined: Nov 13, 2011
    Posts: 83

    31ford429
    Member
    from Florida

    thanks guys very helpful
     
  25. I use hanging 5000 watt electric heaters. My shop is very well insulated and the heater in a 20x26 room heats it up in just a few minutes. I don't need to run it that much, so cost is pretty low.
    I have used a kerosene heater and absolutely hated it! The fumes were awful. I will never use any heat that doesn't exhaust combustion gases outside. Some people claim to be happy with them, but the health risks are not worth it.

    ~Alden
     
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  26. Dooley
    Joined: May 29, 2002
    Posts: 2,956

    Dooley
    Member
    from Buffalo NY

    I use a dayton 220volt unit type heater hanging on the garage ceiling, mostly insulated.

    Worked on my car the lat 2 days it was mid 20's with jeans and t shirt and a pair of coveralls and was very comfatible, plus my head is bald and I needed no hat.
     
  27. HellRaiser
    Joined: Jun 14, 2006
    Posts: 1,241

    HellRaiser
    Member
    from Podunk, NE

    You're not going to live out there, so you won't have to be able to raise the temp up to 75 before you go there to do your putzing around. It's not as if you're trying to heat a stand alone building.

    Consider finding a motel that's either being tore down, renovated. Get the a/c-heater from one of those. Easy to put a hole thru the wall, mount it, and Wa La you have heat and air

    On the plus side, you won't have any flames in there.



    HellRaiser
     
  28. Willy301
    Joined: Nov 16, 2007
    Posts: 1,426

    Willy301
    Member

    I have a 30 x 50 pole barn with 10 foot sidewalls and 8 inches of concrete for the floor. I had a 120,000 btu NG 90% efficient furnace hung from the ceiling. It is still over 6 foot off the floor, and I put it in an area where I did not need headroom. The drawback is, you have to keep it at least above freezing all the time, and you really need a place for the condensate to go. I have a sump pump pit and I keep it 60 all the time. My heating costs aren't bad because the concrete and the the bigger items in the garage help maintain the temp, so the furnace doesn't have to run hard to keep it warm. The up side of it, being that it brings its own air supply in to the burn chamber, you can spray paint to your hearts content without fear of an explosion.

    As said above, insulation is the key, I currently have R-19 in the walls, and R-30 in the ceiling with a 16'x9' insulated overhead door and a insulated 36" mandoor. I have no windows because that would just give the neighborhood kids something to break.
     
    Last edited: Jan 25, 2012
  29. PAracer
    Joined: May 21, 2007
    Posts: 91

    PAracer
    Member

    I'm also looking for a heater. My old garage was detached so I could get away with a kerosene heater. My new house has an attached garage so that's out. I'm going to look into a 220V unit. What I want to know is how to keep the moisture from condencing on all the metal parts when I'll only be heating it on weekends? I had this problem at the old garage but it could have been that I was letting it get to warm in the garage. Anyone else have this problem?
     
  30. Dave50
    Joined: Mar 7, 2010
    Posts: 1,751

    Dave50
    Member

    I heard guys using mobile home heaters there cheap and run off propane bottle just a thought hope it helps.
     

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